Warbirds I Have Flown

Since 2010 when I got back into the aviation arena I have flown in 35 different warbirds spread across 11 different aircraft manufactures and 13 different models (USAAF / USAF / USN variants (e.g. AT-6/SNJ) counted as one model). Below are photos of the 35 aircraft by manufacturer / type that I have flown in. This will be a dynamic blog as I hope to update it whenever I fly in a different aircraft.

Douglas

C-47A Skytrain / Dakota

C-47A Dakota "Bones" [This aircraft was flown by RAF during WWII and went on to fly for various small airlines in Great Britain into the early 1970s] (Barry Avent, Rare Air, Inc) [Since sold to Basler Aviation for conversion to BT-67]. It was through Barry that I got back to my aviation passion. He was the person who introduced me to Hal Ewing.

Douglas C-47A Dakota and Beech C-45F Expeditor (Barry Avent / Hal Ewing)

Beechcraft

C-45F Expeditor

I first flew in the C-45F with Harold 'Hal' Ewing as his In-Flight Observer and Crew Chief in May 2010 at the Mid-Atlantic Fly-in & Sport Aviation Convention (MAFSAC). We flew together on the Airshow Circuit in the Southeast United States for six years attending may airshows and fly-ins. There were a few shows where Hal had commitments preventing him from attending the airshow. But he would preposition the airplane and tell me, "It's all yours." But Darn - He Never Left the Keys 😄 The last time we flew together was in November 2015 at the Warbirds Over Monroe Airshow in Monroe, NC. Sadly, Hal passed away in April 2016. He was a great friend and mentor. I miss our times after all the flying was done when we would have a scotch and smoke a cigar as we solved the problems of the world, or at least tried to. Blue Skies and Gentle Tailwinds my friend. You are dearly missed.

T-34 Mentor

T-34B Mentor - In U.S. Navy Recruiting Command Livery (Jim "Zack" Olzacki)

T-34A Mentor - Built by Canadian Car and Foundry (CCF) - First flown by the U.S. Air Force (Tim "Teflon" Stevens)

Boeing

B-17G Flying Fortress

B-17G "Liberty Belle" [Destroyed by fire in 2011] (The Liberty Foundation)

B-17G "Madras Maiden" [Previously flown as "Chuckie" before becoming "Madras Maiden". Converted in 2018/19 to B-17F "Ye Olde Pub"] (Erickson Group - Flown by The Liberty Foundation)

Boeing-Stearman

PT-17 / N2S Kaydet

PT-17 (Todd Givens, Ace Basin Aviation)

PT-17 (Scott Martin, Martin Aviation Services)

North American Aviation

B-25 Mitchell

B-25J "Killer Bee" (Tom Reily)

AT-6 / SNJ Texan

AT-6 was the USAAF designation / SNJ was the USN designation for the Texan

SNJ-6 Texan (Jim Zazas)

AT-6G "The Other Woman" [Flown as SNJ-7] (Bobby Jonte)

SNJ-6 "Miss Vickie"

Vultee Aviation

BT-13 / BT-15 Valiant

The BT-13 had 450hp P&W Wasp engine while the BT-15 had 450hp Wright Cyclone engine.

The USN designation was SNV

BT-15 Valiant (Tom Smith)

Pilatus

P-3

Military training aircraft built by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland

P-3 (Jerry Jeffers)

Scottish Aviation

T.1 / SK 61 Bulldog

T.1 was the Royal Air Force designation / SK 61 was the Swedish Airforce designation

Model 125 [Originally ordered by the Jordanian Air Force - Cambridge University Air Squadron / R.A.F.V.R. Flight B / 413] (Dewy Morgan)

RAF s/n 35 (Craig Payne)

Socata

TB-30 Epsilon

Light military trainer aircraft flown by French, Portuguese, Togolese and Senegalese Air Forces

Armee De L'Air 93 [Lead aircraft - Indian Head indicates Lafayette Escadrille] (Rob "Soprano" Montara)

Armee De L'Air 28 / 315VA (Peter Doran)

Aero Vodochody

L-39 Albatros

High-performance jet trainer developed in Czechoslovakia

"777" (Larry Lee) [ Photo by Chris Dilly - I'm in the backseat]

Larry Lee & Larry "Lunch" Labriola

"7" - Larry "Lunch" Labriola

Nanchang

CJ-6 / CJ-6A

Due to my membership in the RedStar Pilots Association Southeast Region (RPA SE) Swamp Thunder Squadron this is the most prolific aircraft I have flown.